Coming to Netflix on September 27 and overshadowed among all of the streamer’s flashy awards contenders isJim Mickle’sIn the Shadow of the Moon, a serial killer thriller with a sci-fi twist that looks batshit crazy in all the right ways.
Boyd Holbrook(Logan) stars as Philadelphia police officer Thomas Lockhart, who is so hungry to become a detective that he begins tracking a serial killer who mysteriously resurfaces every nine years. But when the killer’s crimes begin to defy all scientific explanation, Lockhart’s obsession with finding the truth threatens to destroy his career, his family, and possibly his sanity. Netflix bills the film as “a genre-blending psychological thriller that examines the power of time, and how its passing can either bring us together or tear us apart.”
The greatMichael C. Hallco-stars as Lockhart’s superior, whileBokeem Woodbine(Fargo) plays his partner, andCleopatra Coleman(White Famous) plays the mysterious murderer.Rudi DharmalingamandRachel Kellerround out the cast of the film, which was written byGregory WeidmanandGeoffrey Tock.
In the Shadow of the Moonhails from 42, Automatik and Nightshade, and was produced byBrian Kavanaugh-Jones,Ben Pugh,Rian Cahill,Linda Moranand Mickle, whose last film was the 2014 thrillerCold in July, as he has spent the past several years working on the acclaimed TV seriesHap and Leonard.
I have to be honest and admit that I think this movie looks kind of awesome, even though I know better than to get my hopes up. I just didn’t loveCold in Julyas much as most people, and Netflix has a mixed track record with this genre. But a time-traveling serial killer sounds pretty cool, so as long as this one leans into its thriller elements and doesn’t overdo the sci-fi stuff, we should get along just fine. But hey, check out the trailer below and judge for yourselves!
